The invention relates to a washing system and method for circulating a liquid through one or more cartridges that each include a chamber having an inlet and an outlet.
Fluidics stations have been developed for carrying out repeated hybridizations of a target nucleic acid to a polymeric array of nucleic acid probes. Such stations are described in, for example, copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/510,805, previously incorporated by reference. Such fluidics stations typically include a fluid delivery system for delivering and injecting selected fluids into an array cartridge which includes a hybridization chamber having a polymer array incorporated therein. They further include several systems such as a fluid mixing system for mixing fluids within the hybridization chamber, a temperature control system for monitoring and controlling the temperature of the fluids within the hybridization chamber, and a process control system for monitoring and selectively controlling the previously mentioned systems. The fluidics station is operated to deliver reagents and samples (e.g. analytes) to the hybridization chamber to perform the hybridization reactions. Following the hybridization, the fluidics station typically delivers a wash solution, an/or buffer to the hybridization chamber, to rinse substantially all of the sample containing solution from the chamber. Wash steps will generally be repeated to sufficiently reduce or eliminate any remaining, unhybridized target, typically two to ten times.
This invention relates to wash stations that are configured to reduce operating cycle times when processing large numbers of array cartridges. In this way, one or more washing steps may be performed in a rapid and efficient manner in order to increase the quantity of array cartridges to be processed according to a given procedure.
According to the invention, array cartridges may be washed in a simplified washing station. Conveniently, the wash steps may be performed independently of a fluidics station where hybridization reactions occur. In this way, a fluidics station may be used to carry out reactions while a separate washing station is used for the washing steps, thereby increasing the throughput of processed cartridges.
In one embodiment, a washing system comprises a support for holding at least one cartridge having a chamber with an inlet and an outlet, and at least one wash block movably coupled to the support. The wash block has an inlet needle and an outlet needle. These needles are configured such that the inlet needle penetrates the inlet of the chamber and the outlet needle penetrates the outlet of the chamber when the cartridge is held by the support and the wash block is moved towards the support.
In another embodiment, a method is provided for circulating a liquid through at least one cartridge that includes a chamber having an inlet and an outlet. According to the method, the cartridge is coupled to a support, and a wash block having an inlet needle and an outlet needle is moved towards the support until the inlet needle penetrates the inlet of the chamber and the outlet needle penetrates the outlet of the chamber. A liquid is supplied to the chamber via the inlet needle and the liquid is removed from the chamber via the outlet needle.
Washing systems and methods according to the invention allow the array cartridges to be washed independently of a fluidics station. Hence, a fluidics station may be used to perform hybridization reactions on new array cartridges while the subsequent wash steps of previously hybridized array cartridges are performed in parallel using the washing system. Thus, the invention results, advantageously, in significant time saving in the process. Further, the washing systems and methods according to the invention do not require the use of a computer workstation for operation.
One will understand that the washing systems and methods of the invention may be used for washing not only array cartridges having a hybridization chamber, but also various types of cartridges having at least one chamber with an inlet and an outlet. Further, although the washing systems and methods according to the invention may be used independently, they may also be incorporated or implemented in fluidics stations or in apparatuses performing other functions. Further, the methods of the invention may be used with liquids other than a wash solution.